Gov. Cuomo says all New York schools can open with strict guidelines

Schools across New York State — including in the five boroughs — can reopen this fall, as coronavirus infections rates continue to remain low in the region, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

“Good news. All schools can reopen,” Cuomo said in a conference with reporters Friday.

He said the state is hovering at a 1 percent positive test rate for COVID-19, well below the 5 percent threshold recommended by the World Health Organization for general reopening and adopted by New York State.

Each school district, however, must submit reopening plans that require approval from the state Health Department.

New York City was late in submitting its 32-page systemwide plan last week for blended learning at its 1,800 schools, though it was panned by some state officials as not being detailed enough.

Cuomo said the Health Department is reviewing reopening plans from the state’s 700 districts and noted that some are “incomplete.” Albany will inform school districts whether their plans pass muster later Friday or Monday.

But he added generally, “For planning purposes they can open.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio has proposed a hybrid plan where students will have both remote learning and between one to three days of in-class instruction, depending on enrollment and layout.

The state, however, is still waiting on individual plans from all 1,800 city schools. De Blasio gave principals until mid-August to submit their proposals to local education officials — despite the July 31 deadline set by the state.

The city’s overall plan — which has been vehemently opposed by the United Federation of Teachers and principals unions — calls on all teachers to get tested in the days leading up to the start of the school year. 

It also proposes students and teachers must wear masks at all times in the building and single-direction hallway movement, as well as the breaking-up of groups of kids outside school.

The report contains protocols for confirmed coronavirus cases, including classroom and building closures and mandatory quarantine periods.

The Department of Education said in order to track COVID-19 cases, it would conduct random temperature checks on students and encouraged teachers to get tested once a month.

De Blasio has said the city’s infection rate must remain below 3 percent for the plan to work.

The state is requiring all school districts to post their remote learning plans and testing/tracing plans online and set dates for three to five virtual discussions with parents before Aug. 21. Districts must also have one separate discussion with teachers alone.

At the press conference Friday, Cuomo said backing from both parents and teachers on reopening plans was imperative.

“I have been deluged with calls from parents and teachers and there is a significant level of anxiety and concern,” he said.

The UFT has threatened legal action if City Hall’s existing proposal isn’t updated to include more specifics on teachers safety and logistics, including child care for educators.

Movement of Rank and File Educators, a UFT offshoot, hinted at the possibility of a strike as a last resort. 

“I don’t think you want to get into a legal battle with the teachers,” Cuomo said. “That’s not the nature of the profession or the nature of our relationship. Teachers have to feel safe. They can’t teach if they don’t feel safe.”